Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine (RCIGM) is widely regarded as a key player in the global ecosystem of research groups that are exploring the role of whole genome sequencing for newborn screening. In this Q&A with Will Greene, Healthcare Engagement Lead for Roche Diagnostics Asia Pacific, RCIGM President & CEO Dr Stephen Kingsmore provides updates on BeginNGS, a new consortium that is working to evaluate this approach and find ways to implement it in clinical practice. He also describes the technology underpinnings of genomic newborn screening and the future of legacy methods.